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The Flipper Zero team recently introduced “Flipper Apps,” its very own mobile app store. This new store enables mobile users to easily install 3rd party applications, expanding the capabilities of the renowned wireless pen-testing tool.
Flipper Zero stands as a versatile, portable tool designed for pen-testers and hacking enthusiasts, providing them with the means to manipulate an extensive array of hardware through RFID emulation, digital access key cloning, radio communications, NFC, infrared, Bluetooth, and numerous other functionalities.
Although it has sparked backlash after videos showed it being used to open garage doors, unlock cars, clone RFID chips and activate doorbells, it remains a powerful educational and research security tool for those who use it responsibly.
In the past, Flipper Zero users were required to find apps for the device on their own, often from code repositories like GitHub, and then load them onto the device via a card microSD.
However, thanks to the introduction of the new mobile app store, owners can now effortlessly browse through a selection of available and tested apps, simplifying the installation process on their devices.
The introduction of Flipper Apps has empowered users to enhance the capabilities of their devices by utilizing custom applications.
The new App Store is seamlessly integrated with the latest Flipper Zero mobile apps for Android and iOS. It boasts an impressive selection of 101 apps, curated by BleepingComputer, encompassing diverse categories such as games, hex editors, fuzzers, remote controls, NFC, and GPIO application
The full list of currently available Flipper Zero apps compiled by BleepingComputer is listed below
|Pokemon Trading||Game of life||Tic-Tac-Toe Multi|
|iButton Fuzzer||[GPIO] 7-segment Output||tuning fork|
|VB Migration Assistant||[GPIO] Reader||video Poker|
|Air Mouse||[GPIO] Sentry Safe||Wav Player|
|Pinball Nested||[GPIO] Timelapse||xbox-controller|
|[ESP32] WiFi Marauder||Heap Defence||Get older|
|Seeder||Hex viewer||Zero Tracker|
|Temp sensors reader||IR Scope||Zombies|
|i2c Tools||EM4100 Key Generator||Authenticator|
|BarCode ScannerE||Metronome||RFID Fuzzer|
|Flizzer Tracker||MiFare Fuzzer||Chess|
|4 in row||Minesweeper||FlipBIP Crypto Wallet|
|[PMSx003] Airmon||Monty Hall||Color Guess|
|analog Clock||Morse code||Cross Remote|
|Arkanoid||Multi Converter||POCSAG Pager|
|Asteroids||Well guess what||Spectrum Analyzer|
|BPM Tapper||Race||[NMEA] OPS|
|brainfuck||Reaction test||Jetpack Game|
|Caesar Cipher||Resistance Calculator||Doom|
|Count Down Timer||Roots of Life||2048|
|Counter||Rubik’s Cube Scrambler||t-rex runner|
|DCF77 Transmitter||Scorched Tanks||Hex Editor|
|Dice||Servo Tester||ESP Flasher|
|DTMF Dolphin||Slot Machine||Text to SAM|
|Flappy Bird||Snake 2.0||Tomato Timer|
|Flashlight||[Sony] intervalometer||BT Trigger|
|Flip Pomodoro||SWD Probe||UART Terminal|
|Geiger counter||Tetris||Rock Paper Scissors|
|Pong||Text Viewer||NFC/RFID detector|
|Game 15||Tic Tac Toe|
Despite encountering challenges in certain national markets like Brazil and facing categorization as a card skimming tool on online platforms such as Amazon, the Flipper Zero’s popularity as a portable penetration tester remains unrivaled.


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TAIPEI -- The killing of a Taiwanese teenager in a brutal knife attack at an Internet cafe over a dispute involving the Blade&Sword Online computer game has raised concerns over violence on the normally tranquil Pacific island.
"(The assailant) didn't know the difference between reality and fantasy," lamented the Apple Daily, which splashed a graphic depiction of the assault across its front page Tuesday.
The local TVBS news station suggested the violence of the game played a role in the attack.
"In the bottom corner of the game, there's a sign that pops up and tells players to 'kill until your eyes are red,'" a TVBS commentator said. In Chinese culture, red eyes are associated with extreme anger, bordering on insanity.
Blade&Sword gamemaker, Pixel Studios of Beijing, was not immediately available to comment on the incident.
The dispute occurred after the 19-year old killed in the attack, Lee Hon-hui, used his character in the online game to slay an opposing player. Angry over being knocked out of the game, the alleged assailant left the Internet cafe and headed straight for a hardware store to buy a long machete-like knife, according to TVBS. He then allegedly returned and attacked Lee.

domain: news


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MyRepublic is looking for new revenue in the enterprise space, where it says offers significant growth potential for the Singapore broadband services provider. It plans to ramp up its service offerings to better address this customer segment, with particular focus on cybersecurity where it may look to make acquisitions to plug product gaps.
In fact, it was seeing a good uptick in enterprise growth before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, said MyRepublic's Singapore managing director Lawrence Chan, and was bringing in the same sale volume as its consumer broadband business.
At the peak of the pandemic, though, sales from the enterprise space had dipped by 20%, he said in a video interview with ZDNet. While it saw some recovery in recent months, with a smaller 10% dip, Chan said it still was too early to say when volumes would return to pre-pandemic levels.
He said, though, that there had been a shift in use cases as businesses looked to ensure their employees could remotely access data and tools sitting within the corporate network. Focus then was on making sure there was no lag in connectivity. He added that more businesses also were migrating from on-premise to cloud services and needed to boost connectivity to their data centre and office network.
As of May 2021, MyRepublic has 70,000 mobile subscribers, up 250% year-on-year, and 85,000 broadband subscribers in the city-state. The local market remains the main revenue source for the operator, which also offers broadband services in Australia and New Zealand. It has a franchise business in Indonesia via a partnership with the Sinar Mas Group.
With its broadband operations the most mature in Singapore, Chan noted that MyRepublic's emphasis here currently was on its enterprise and mobile businesses, the latter of which was launched in 2018.
The company in April unveiled a rebranding initiative that included the introduction of a self-service SIM card activation service for its new mobile customers, who would receive their SIM cards via mail delivery.
Chan said the new brand identity outlined MyRepublic's efforts to differentiate itself with a strong focus on customer-driven service offerings and "community-centric approach".
Noting that customers saw the company as a "personable" brand, he said: "Customers can relate to us. We're users of broadband services, like them. We're also gamers like they are and we use broadband for work, like they do."
He added that MyRepublic's ability to deliver "meaningful value" to customers would be critical to its continued success. This meant providing services that were carried by intelligent pipes, where service packages for gamers, for example, would have latency optimisation.
He noted that customers increasingly saw online connectivity as a commodity, which meant they would seek out the cheapest offering in the market. This was resulting in price wars amongst telcos and driving consolidation in the MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) market, he said.
It underscored the need for players such as MyRepublic to offer a premium service over its competitors, rather than compete on price, he added.
This also meant it must better understand customers' needs to offer relevant services. Chan said the company made efforts to do so through machine learning, applying such tools to areas related to customer satisfaction so it could understand, for instance, why people stopped using or were using less of a particular service.
It also integrated intelligent configuration of its networks to segment customers based on specific IP pools or categories, such as gamers and streamers. Each would have requirements specific to their online activities.
For example, gamers would need shorter routes to China due to the popularity of games developed in the Chinese market. Media streamers, on the other hand, might require higher bandwidth so they could watch their content without disruptions.
"Telcos typically wouldn't architect their network this way," Chan said, noting that MyRepublic categorised its customers based on the service package for which they signed up. Users were divided into four to five segmentations.
He added that the broadband operator continuously monitored usage across the different segments, studying traffic patterns and types of data packets, as well as shifts in usage.
Looking for new business in enterprise market
Elaborating on his plans to grow the company's enterprise business, Chan said MyRepublic was seeing large margins and growth potential in this segment, which remained largely untapped.
He said the vendor currently supported some 6,000 enterprise customers, including small and midsize businesses (SMBs() and large organisations, which included players in the financial services industry (FSI) as well as food and beverage, construction, and hospitality sectors.
It also would be looking to target smaller players in FSI, where it was seeing robust growth amongst fintech companies. "Smaller FSI players often are well established, even though they are smaller, and have high-end connectivity requirements," Chan said. "They also are more nimble and market disruptors, and want to partner service providers that are also nimble and able to provide quick turnaround for solutions."
He added that even bigger enterprises now were looking to form closer ties with their connectivity service providers, so they could have more flexibility and access network services that had more customisation.
The broadband provider also would be looking to beef up its portfolio to include cybersecurity services, as more enterprises realised the importance of such tools.
Noting that its play in this market segment was "still early days", Chan said MyRepublic would look to beef up its services here internally and, where necessary, through partners such as consulting services and in-office monitoring. The broadband provider currently provides some security tools such as firewall and network protection.
He said it was planning a "major push" in cybersecurity and would soon unveil new products and partners in this space.
He also did not rule out the possibility of acquisitions to plug any gaps in its service offerings, adding that the vendor needed to provide products in some key areas to be a "full" security player. These included tools to protect against malware, DDoS, and phishing.


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GSKÂ & Pfizer close landmark OTC merger
In LatestDiscover the latest pharmacy news with daily updates and information to keep you in the know.
Record learning outcomes
GSK Consumer Healthcare and Pfizer Consumer Healthcare have announced the creation of a new joint venture as they reach the end of a lengthy merger process.
The move established GSK Consumer Healthcare as a single entity which will manage a combined portfolio including products such as Sensodyne, Voltarol, Corsodyl, Anadin, Centrum and Nexium.
The new organisation, which was first announced in late 2018, will be one of the biggest OTC companies in the world.
Area general manager Jon Workman said the new company “brings together the very best of both legacy businesses… across a broad spectrum of therapeutic areas”.
“We are committed to leveraging these strengths to provide the best service to our retail partners and further support our commitment to helping consumers take more control of their health, particularly as we come out of the other side of this pandemic.
“We are embarking on a long-term self care movement with the aim of sustaining a shift in the behaviours of the nation – getting people to think pharmacist first and avoid unnecessary trips to the GP and A&E in the longer term.
“We firmly believe that our new expanded portfolio of brands plays an important role to consumers, especially in this present climate, and we are committed to leveraging these strengths to provide the best service to our retail partners.”


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Latest news about Bitcoin and all cryptocurrencies. Your daily crypto news habit.
Chainlink multisig rules face speculation, Mixin offers $20M bounty: Finance Redefined
09/29/2023 - 19:00
Crypto sees outflows for 6th consecutive week, XRP and SOL gain investor confidence
09/25/2023 - 11:50
Coinbase CEO stands up for DeFi, Polygon says $1B ZK-rollup paying off: Finance Redefined
09/15/2023 - 19:20


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FRENCH CONNECTION: “It all started with a soy latte and a carrot cake at the Rose Bakery back in March,” said Olivia Kim, newly appointed director of creative projects at Nordstrom. “And then Pete [Nordstrom] and I just walked around Paris and I showed him the things that get me inspired.”
Naturally, the first “pop-in” Kim thought up for the Seattle-based retailer will have a French theme, featuring Kim’s favorite discoveries and limited editions designed by her friends.
Olympia Le-Tan said she would provide book clutches with a Parisian leitmotif. “Nothing well known, just fun,” she explained, citing “Paris, mon amour” and “Paris by night.” Rodarte’s Laura Mulleavy said she “played with French national colors, which happen to be the same as ours,” while Merci’s director of interior, Jean-Luc Colonna, will ship some homeware.
“We just launched online. Fifty percent of our customers are international, “ said Colonna. “Our next step will be a freestanding store in London, then New York — each with a different identity, drawing on the creativity of its local designers. We are currently scouting locations,” revealed Colonna to the delight of Christopher Suarez, chief executive officer at Nicholas Kirkwood, who promptly offered his help from across the table. “My partner loves your concept; she literally lives there,” he said.
For November, Merci has prepared a special treat. “We call it: ‘Men love gifts too,’ featuring a selection of men’s wear and accessories.”
Nordstrom’s holiday pop-in will be more gender-neutral. “We thought: What is the best gift you can give to someone who already has everything,” said Kim. “One example is a pair of handmade skis featuring artwork by Keith Haring, developed in cooperation with the Keith Haring Foundation.”
And what has been Kim’s favorite discovery this season? “That the fastest wi-fi in Paris is at the Meurice,” she divulged. “So pay your 12 dollars to get the coke, because it’s a ridiculously priced Coca-Cola, and stay all day. I’m telling everyone about it, but now I’m worried that they won’t have any more Coca-Cola.”


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Perry’s Ice Cream Company Inc., Akron, N.Y, says it launched Hey-Ey-Sundae! — a new flavor that blends nougat ice cream with salty caramel swirls and brownie dough pieces. It is the latest creation in Perry’s longstanding collaboration with the Buffalo Bills. The new flavor also kicks off a charitable partnership with the Buffalo Bills Foundation.
According to Perry’s, the flavor’s name is inspired by the Bills’ “Shout” fight song, the iconic anthem that unites generations of Bills fans. The offering is available in 1.5-quart cartons at retailers across Western New York, Central New York and Erie. Pa., including most Tops Markets, Wegmans, Dash’s, Shurfine and Country Fair locations. It will also be available at participating Perry’s scoop shops across these regions.
Perry’s says it is the official ice cream of the Buffalo Bills, and Hey-Ey-Sundae! is the fourth co-branded flavor created by this partnership, following Brownie Blitz (2008), Rockpile to the Ralph (2009, the Bills’ 50th Anniversary flavor) and Sundae at the Ralph (2016).
“Hey-Ey-Sundae! celebrates our hometown team and honors the tradition of fan-favorite Brownie Blitz,” says Perry’s President and CEO Robert Denning. “While brownie dough pieces are still included, we’ve given this flavor a fresh take, with a nougat base and salty caramel swirls for a salty-sweet game day (or any day) indulgence.”
A portion of the proceeds from every sale will be donated to the Buffalo Bills Foundation, which is dedicated to preventing child hunger, increasing access to nutritious food for families and supporting healthy eating in the Western New York region. Perry’s says it also made an additional $5,000 donation to the foundation on Giving Tuesday.
“Perry’s Ice Cream has been a valued partner of the Bills for more than 25 years,” says Buffalo Bills senior vice president of business development, Dan Misko. “Perry’s is constantly working to create flavors that connect our fans in unique, delicious ways, benefiting our community in the process. We are proud to have Perry’s as the Official Ice Cream of the Buffalo Bills.”


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- Online grocery platform, RedMart suspends all new orders due to surge in online orders amid the Covid-19 outbreak.
- RedMart will be temporarily reducing its range of products to include daily essentials only such as rice, flour, and eggs.
- Delivery slots will also be assigned based on location and be temporarily limited to specific days and times for each address.
Hello, foodies. As the number of positive Covid-19 cases in Singapore reaches the 1,000 mark, it’s imperative that all of us either stay home or practice social distancing. Staying home is the best option right now to prevent yourself from catching any unwanted germs so you’ll need to stock up on some groceries. Thankfully, you can get yours from RedMart but we’ve got important news concerning Singapore’s leading online supermarket!
RedMart Will Limit Orders To Essentials Only Due To Surge In Online Grocery Orders Amid Covid-19 Concerns
Amid growing concerns over the Covid-19 pandemic, many people are stocking up and online grocery platforms such as RedMart is experiencing a surge in demands. In light of that, the company will be suspending orders for the time being. But, fret not, you can still shop on RedMart but there will only be a selected range of goods for you to purchase from.
In addition to the suspension, RedMart is also temporarily reducing their range of products to essential items only. Customers can still buy essentials such as rice, flour, and eggs. This move was made in order to ensure that delivery slots remain available and so that customers can receive their essentials in a timely manner. Besides that, orders are limited to 35 items (maximum) and shall not exceed 100 kilograms. Customers should also note that all deliveries will be left at their doorstep to minimise physical contact between persons.
Kindly Visit The RedMart Website For More Covid-19 Updates Concerning Purchases And Deliveries
As seen on the image above, RedMart has released an announcement via their website to alert customers on updates concerning purchasing and deliveries. Read the latest update here. If you have shopped on the online platform recently, do remember to check your delivery dates for any changes and updates. That’s all for now, goodbye and stay safe!


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Tesla CEO Elon Musk will address investors tomorrow (March 1) at the company’s electric vehicle gigafactory in Austin, Texas.
Billed as the company’s first investors day, Musk is expected to announce new Tesla products that aim to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and lead to a “fully sustainable future”, including a potential low-cost solar panel for individual residences.
The company has said it plans to invest heavily in personal energy storage, building on the rollout of the Powerwall, an electric battery that can power residences that aren’t connected to a central power grid. Musk is also expected to give an update on his Robotaxi projects, a series of autonomous cars-for-hire that Musk plans to start producing in 2024.
Musk has a long history of hyperbole at such big, flamboyant events. At a similar conference in 2019, he said there would be a million Robotaxis on the road by 2020 (there aren’t). He has also said he plans to turn Twitter into a “super app” that will serve all user needs (no progress as of yet), as well as promising that his company SpaceX will colonize Mars by the end of the decade (let’s check back in 2029).
🚗 Cheaper Tesla models: Musk is expected to give an update on his “Generation 3” plan that will unveil a cheaper Tesla model, priced somewhere between $25,000 and $30,000, and will be mainly used for his Robotaxi fleet.
🏭 Expanded production capabilities: Musk has said that his long-term goal is for Tesla to produce 20 million cars annually by 2030, with some speculating that Musk will reveal new plans for increased production capacity. Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced on Tuesday (Feb. 28) that Tesla will open a new plant in the state of Monterrey.
🛻 Cybertruck: Tesla’s electric semi-trucks went into limited production in 2022, and the Cybertruck pickup truck is expected to begin manufacturing at the end of 2023, fueling speculation that the vehicle could make an appearance on stage with Musk and perhaps recover from its not-so-successful 2019 demo.
2006: Musk’s first master plan describes what Tesla is trying to achieve. The plan gives step-by-step instructions to build a luxury car and use the profits to build a more affordable electric vehicle, while building clean energy options on the side.
2016: The second master plan was an update on Tesla’s production goals, specifically building electric vehicles for all major segments of the industry, including semi-trucks and pickups. It also outlined the company’s mission to create an autonomous network of self-driving cars.
2023: Tesla is due to unveil its third master plan, which Musk anticipated being a “message of good hope” relevant to all “people and life of Earth.”
Tesla’s stock surged ahead of tomorrow’s meeting with investors, making Musk the wealthiest person in the world, once again. He reclaimed the top spot from Bernard Arnault, the CEO of French luxury brand, posting a net worth of roughly $187.1 billion, according to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index.
Musk’s personal fortune fell precipitously in late 2022 as Tesla’s stock price slipped along with a broader decline in the tech industry and concerns he was spending too much time focusing on Twitter. The record loss made Musk the first person ever to see $200 billion wiped off his net worth.
Musk has bounced back, however, with Tesla shares swelling nearly 70% so far this year. The surge is due, in part, to a recent announcement by the US Treasury Department that it would allow luxury electric vehicles, including multiple Tesla models, to qualify for the new electric vehicle tax credit.
Global demand for electric vehicles has surged. Last year, car companies sold 7.8 million fully electric cars, a 68% increase from the previous year.
The increase was mainly fueled by European and Chinese markets, with electric vehicles accounting for 11% of total car sales in Europe and 19% in China. If you include plug-in hybrid vehicles, the share of electric cars sold in Europe goes up to 20.3%.
In Germany, Europe’s largest auto manufacturing market, electric cars accounted for a quarter of all production. And, in the month of December, Germans purchased more electric vehicles than cars with conventional engines.
Electric vehicle sales reached record heights despite the overall new car market falling slightly. While there was a 4% increase in China, the market for new cars declined by 8% in the US and 7% in Europe, as high inflation rates weakened consumer purchasing power and Russia’s war in Ukraine caused energy prices to climb.


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Deals and discounts may get cash-strapped consumers through a restaurant’s door, but excellent customer service is what will keep them coming back—even after the economy improves and menu prices increase, say officials at The NPD Group.
According to new data from the Port Washington, N.Y.-based market research firm, consumers rate service high on the list of reasons for visiting restaurants, despite the tough economy. But not all restaurants receive high marks in the area. Consumers are more satisfied with the service they receive at independent restaurants than what they experience at chains.
“Service is part of the value equation; it’s not just price,” said NPD analyst Bonnie Riggs. “Sometimes we lose sight of that. It does have an impact, and it does build loyalty.”
When consumers who cut back on restaurant visits were asked by NPD what would entice them back, service attributes were high on the list of responses. While “price discounts on a regular menu item” and “coupon for free item” were the biggest lures, followed by smaller “portions at lower prices,” another popular response was “polite staff.”
“In these economic times…consumers just need a feel-good thing,” said Riggs.
Respondents said that independents in both the casual-dining and quick-service segments delivered more pleasant experiences than chains, NPD found.
In the year ended in March, 49 percent of consumers surveyed rated casual-dining independents as excellent on “pleasant and friendly service,” compared to 45 percent for casual-dining major chains. Forty-eight percent rated casual-dining independents as excellent on “responds to problems,” compared to 41 percent for major casual-dining chains. More consumers also rated other service-related attributes, such as “made me feel like a valued customer,” “fast, efficient service” and “order accuracy” as excellent at independents, but not so at chains.
Not only are the most recent customer satisfaction ratings for casual-dining chains low, but NPD also found that they’ve been on the decline for several years.
Good service at a lower price is likely another reason consumers are more satisfied with independents, noted Riggs. According to NPD, small casual-dining chains boast the highest check average at $15.78, followed by major casual-dining chains at $15.43. At just $11.20, casual-dining independents have the lowest check average.
“Not only am I paying more when I visit a casual-dining chain, but the service is not up to par when compared to indies,” said Riggs of many consumers’ perception.
It appears that consumers are showing their appreciation for casual-dining eateries that give good service by visiting more frequently.
In the quarter ended March, visits to casual-dining independents were up 1 percent. In contrast, visits to major casual-dining chains and small casual-dining chains were down 5 percent and 13 percent, respectively. In addition, casual-dining independents were considerably stronger than the segment overall, which was down 4 percent in the most recent quarter.
In the quick-service segment, only major chains maintained traffic in the most recent quarter, mainly through unit expansion. Still, the data reveal that consumers do not perceive the big fast-food chains as doing as good a job with customer service as their independent competitors.
In the year ended in March, only 30 percent of consumers rated “pleasant, friendly service” as excellent at major quick-service chains, compared to 37 percent at quick-service independents. Consumers were also not as satisfied with major quick-service chains’ ability to make them feel like valued customers. Only 25 percent rated “made me feel like a valued customer” as excellent at major quick-service chains, compared to 34 percent at quick-service independents. More consumers also rated “fast-efficient service,” “responds to problems” and “order accuracy” as excellent at independents than at major chains.
At $4.80, major chains have the lowest check averages in the quick-service segment, followed by small chains at $4.77 and independents at $5.61.
“The lower the price point, the lower the expectations,” said Riggs. “[QSR] will have to ante up when it comes to service.”
One reason chains may not be delivering service as well as they can is because many have cut their training budgets, observers say.
According to the “2009 State of Training and Development in the Hospitality Industry” report from the Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers, or CHART, in the past 18 months more than half of foodservice operators surveyed had reduced their training budgets.
“Especially in this economy, people are looking for a good experience…places that make them feel good, as opposed to just food,” said John Isbell, president of CHART, on why customer service training is more important than ever. “If [operators] are smart…they’ll hire the right people, train the right people.”
Tim and Nina Zagat, founders of the Zagat restaurant guides, agree that more training is the solution to the industry’s service woes. In a recent blog post, the couple said “service is the weak link in the restaurant industry.”
Consumers may not expect exceptional service at major fast feeders, but some quick-service chains have long been committed to training their employees to give it. Many also note that they have reaped the benefits.
At Prairie du Sac, Wis.-based Culver’s, crewmembers have always been trained to cheerfully bring customers’ orders to the table, offer to get additional items and bus tables, officials said. The commitment to guest service has helped the burger and custard chain achieve positive same-store sales growth despite the recession.
“If you’ve [only] got $5 to spend, where are you going to go to? The place that treats you well,” said James Blystone, Culver’s director of marketing. “[We train] our people that our guests are an extension of our family.”
To ensure that service is as good in Kansas City as it is in Phoenix, Culver’s has owner-operators in each of its 400 restaurants.
“That allows us to know our guests and know our communities,” said Blystone. “We spend a lot of time talking to our franchise business partners, making sure every guest leaves Culver’s happy.”
Recognizing the power of good service to maintain loyal customers, some savvy quick-service operators have recently adopted similar full-service-style practices. For example, a few years ago Carpinteria, Calif.-based Carl’s Jr. launched its now-famous Six Dollar Burger and, along with it, its Six Dollar Service program.
While the chain had always delivered guests’ orders to their tables, Carl’s crewmembers are now trained to offer drink refills, bus tables and open doors for customers.
“[These are] just small elements that add up to a better experience,” said Noah Griggs, executive vice president of training for the Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s brands. “[Guests] come back, and its gives you a win-win.”
The program has been so successful at Carl’s Jr. that CKE has since rolled it out at the Hardee’s brand. According to Griggs, independent research reveals that both concepts’ service ratings have significantly improved since implementing program.


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As if we hadn’t already heard enough about tablet PC madness this week, Sony has confirmed that their entry into the flooded tablet market will be released by the end of the year.
Sony has two tablets that will supposedly make their debut, called the “S1” and “S2”. Since the S1 has one screen, and the S2 has two… well, these certainly aren’t the most creative names.
Though Sony’s tablet isn’t news, the fact that one of them will be a “Playstation” tablet wasn’t known until recently. The “Sony Playstation Tablet S” will have two cameras, full access to the Playstation store and a 1280×768 resolution 9.4″ screen.
Still no word on a price for this piece of gaming/media hardware. Maybe we’ll get lucky, and Sony will take on the extreme Fire Sale pricing of HP’s tablet.


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The UK government’s Insolvency Service recently released data that revealed Scottish insolvencies had hit a record level. According to experts, the number of insolvencies in 2012 was set to continue. The figures show that 1,526 companies went into administration, receivership or liquidation last year, which equates to four every day of the year. The increased number of insolvencies has been attributed to public sector cuts, reduced spending by consumers and a lack of business funding.
During the last quarter of 2011, 385 companies faced insolvency with 290 of those companies going into liquidation. One of the partners at Johnston Carmichael, Matt Henderson deals in corporate insolvency, and he expressed concern at the number of liquidations rather than administration. If a company enters into administration, the procedure is designed to save a business whereas liquidation is the final option for a business.
The Office of the Accountant in Bankruptcy released the data of Scottish receiverships and liquidations, while figures from the Insolvency Service show which sectors are affected by the insolvencies. A corporate recovery partner at PKF accountants, Bryan Jackson stated that the hospitality sector is being adversely affected by reduced consumer spending, while businesses dealing in property are continuing to fall at an alarming rate. The head of corporate recovery at HBJ Gately, Graeme Henry added:
“This is probably the thin end of the wedge for insolvencies. These figures suggest there is still some significant pain in front of us as the economy recovers.”
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NEW YORK — Google is about to receive the civil equivalent of a subpoena from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission as part of a probe into the Web giant's Internet search business, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The company, which dominates the U.S. and global markets for search advertising, has been accused by competitors of favoring its own services over rivals in its search results.


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Security app flies drones to your location in emergency
After a user has activated a 'dummy switch' they have a certain amount of time before police are automatically notified of their location
By Police1 Staff
LifeLine Response created a smartphone app designed to summon an aerial drone and police to the scene of an attack.
The app has two settings which alert a call center in Erie, Pa. One activates as soon as a user who feel’s they’re in danger takes his or her thumb off the app's "dummy switch." The other setting works if a preset time elapses without the user entering a code to cancel the first alert.
The user’s GPS location is then transmitted to law enforcement, and the phone emits an alarm sound to signal that officials have been notified of the user’s location.
In areas where drones are permitted, a drone will also be deployed at 60 mph to the user’s GPS location and then record the incident.
Founder Peter Cahill came up with the idea after two of his nieces were the subjects of an attempted abduction.
According to Cahill, about 30 college, corporate and hospital campuses have already signed on to be among the first to use the technology.
LifeLine Response has worked in collaboration with an FAA lawyer to ensure the app and drone usage comply with current FAA regulations.
The drone’s highest priority, according to CIO Giacomo Listi, is to scare off an attacker and prevent injury. A speaker on the drone will alert warnings and alerts.
The drone can stay with the victim until police arrive or it can follow a fleeing suspect.
- Product Brief


text: Cadillac has just one remaining front-drive vehicle, the DeVille sedan. It's been a sales leader for years, and other than the Escalade, it's the only Cadillac with a model name more than a few years old. For 2006, the Deville marque will fade, and a redesigned front-drive sedan will take its place. Cadillac's new DTS sedan is much more angular than the outgoing DeVille and more in keeping with the "Art & Science" Cadillac signature design theme, now familiar on the CTS and STS sedans. The headlamps are stacked vertically, as are the taillamps. While modern in appearance, both Cadillac design cues dating back to the 1960s. In a departure from recent offerings, there will be just one DTS exterior and one interior, but with differing option packages. Dual-firmness seats are reported to be comfortable yet supportive, and they offer an additional inch of seat travel. The instrument panel has been lowered and moved forward to give a feeling of more spaciousness. Genuine wood trim is available, along with nearly every high-tech comfort and convenience option imaginable. If you watched the inauguration for President Bush's second term in office, you likely saw that the President was the first to receive a 2006 Cadillac DTS, although the newest Presidential limousine is a little longer, wider, and heavier than the production sedan, which for the rest of us, will be on sale this fall. Click to watch the Cadillac DTS video.


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New cigarette tax raising more money than expected
Linda Harley, a pack-a-day smoker, doesn't need state statistics to tell her people are still buying cigarettes despite a new 31-cent tax.
"I need my cigarettes,'' Harley said Friday as she smoked during a break from her data-entry job in Columbus. "If you're going to buy your cigarettes, it doesn't matter how much they cost.''
Ohio earned about $81 million from its new cigarette tax in July and August -- about $6 million more than expected, the Office of Budget and Management announced last week.
Lawmakers approved the 31-cent increase in June to help balance a $1.9 billion deficit. The state estimated putting the total cigarette tax at 55 cents would earn an additional $224 million annually.
Opponents said it would drive smokers to border states where taxes were lower. But Indiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania all raised their cigarette taxes about the same time.
The result was that the tax's negative impact still hasn't been felt, said Josh Sanders, spokesman for the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants.
He said the exception is Kentucky, which has a 3-cent cigarette tax. He said Cincinnati stores are continuing to lose sales to Kentucky businesses, although he didn't have statistics.
Sanders also said people will turn to cheaper cigarettes offered via the Internet.
But the state's increased revenue defeats the Internet argument, said Larry McAllister, president of the American Lung Association of Ohio.
McAllister attributed the increased revenue to a rise in youth smoking before the tax took effect. He predicted the tax will discourage teens from buying cigarettes.
McAllister said his association will push for the tax to be increased again. "Every time it goes up, we have a reduction in youth smoking,'' he said.
In Michigan, lawmakers raised the cigarette tax 50 cents, to $1.25 a pack beginning Aug. 1. That lessened the impact of the tax in the Toledo area, said Robert Richard, who owns 11 stores along the state line.
"It has not had a great effect because Michigan has had an even higher increase,'' he said.
Bob Jonas, owner of Ritze Marathon in Cincinnati, said Ohio's tax hasn't hurt his sales. He offers cigarettes for about $4.10 a pack.
People complain, "but they keep digging money out of their pocket and buying them,'' Jonas said.


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December 1, 2022
Soft wheat exports from the EU 3% up year-on-year at 13.89 million tonnes
Weekly data published by the European Commission showed the European Union's soft wheat exports for the 2022/23 season beginning July 1 reached 13.89 million tonnes by November 27, 3% higher compared to the 13.45 million reached in the same week in the 2021/22 season, Nasdaq reported.
The year-on-year increase has shrunk from 10% two weeks ago, although traders anticipate that talk of significant French sales to China will boost 2022/23 exports in the coming weeks.
With 5.65 million tonnes shipped this season, France continued to be the top exporter of soft wheat to the EU, followed by Romania with 1.81 million tonnes, Germany with 1.57 million tonnes, Latvia with 1.19 million tonnes, and Poland with 1.11 million tonnes, based on a breakdown of the EU data.
12.12 million tonnes of maize have been imported into the EU so far in 2022–2023, a 130% increase over the 5.27 million tonnes imported the year before.
Maize imports into the EU have been driven by a drought-affected harvest in the EU and a recovery in exports from the war-torn Ukraine.
According to the data, Spain has imported 4.58 million tonnes of maize into the EU so far in 2022–2023, followed by the Netherlands (1.37 million tonnes), Poland (1.02 million tonnes), Portugal (959,00 tonnes), and Italy (897,000 tonnes).


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Comcast on Wednesday updated its iPad app to allow customers to stream on-demand TV shows and movies to the Apple tablet.
Comcast subscribers with an iPad and the Comcast app can now access about 3,000 hours of content from Comcast's on-demand network at no extra charge. That includes movies and TV shows from HBO, Showtime, Starz, Encore, Cinemax and MoviePlex as well as TV shows from TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, and BBC America. Selections include "True Blood," "Dexter" and "Boardwalk Empire," as well as movies like "The Hangover," "An Education," and "The Blind Side," Comcast said.
The feature is available over Wi-Fi, with a 3G option coming in a future app update, Comcast said.
"Our focus for this first version of video streaming was to take advantage of the larger screen and mobile capability of the iPad, and deliver an immersive video experience," Matt Strauss, senior vice president and general manager of Comcast Interactive Media, wrote in a blog post. "We have many enhancements and feature updates planned for the coming months, and we'll also continue to evolve the video streaming feature based on customer feedback, including extending it to more handheld devices and platforms."
Later this year, Comcast plans to bring live TV streaming to tablets. Comcast CEO Brian Roberts made an appearance at the Samsung keynote during this year's CES to announce that Comcast content including live TV will be available on the Samsung Galaxy Tab and Samsung Smart TVs by year's end.
On Tuesday, Comcast and Time Warner Inc. announced an expanded "TV Everywhere" content deal that will allow Comcast customers to watch more Turner Broadcasting TV shows on the Web.


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- How did Ashton Kutcher make his money?
- How much is Ashton Kutcher worth?
- Does Ashton Kutcher own houzz?
- What was the biggest deal in Shark Tank history?
- Why did Kevin leave Shark Tank?
- Does Jay Z own Uber?
- Does Ashton Kutcher own twitter?
- Who is the poorest shark?
- Who turned down $30 million on Shark Tank?
- How much money did Ashton Kutcher make from Uber?
- How much did Ashton Kutcher invest in Wework?
- How much money is Mila Kunis worth?
- Does Ashton Kutcher own Spotify?
- What companies does Ashton Kutcher invest in?
- Is Ashton Kutcher a billionaire?
How did Ashton Kutcher make his money?
The actor and venture capitalist has been investing for well over a decade, turning a $30 million fund into $250 million by investing in companies like Uber, Skype, Airbnb, and Spotify with his firm A-Grade Investments; he’s also a co-founder and partner at Sound Ventures..
How much is Ashton Kutcher worth?
Ashton Kutcher’s net worth is around $200 million.
Does Ashton Kutcher own houzz?
Ashton Kutcher has launched a web series, titled ‘My Houzz’ on the Houzz website. … Partnering with Ashton as executive producer on this project was a great way to bring the Houzz experience to life as Ashton knows our product very well,” said Adi Tatarko, chief executive.
What was the biggest deal in Shark Tank history?
Kevin O’Leary, aka “Mr. Wonderful,” struck the largest deal in “Shark Tank” history during Season 6 by loaning the single-serve wine company Zipz $2.5 million in exchange for 10 percent equity.
Why did Kevin leave Shark Tank?
“Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary has returned to social media after a brief absence following his involvement in a fatal boating accident that left two dead late last month. O’Leary tweeted on Thursday, promoting the new season of the Colombian spin-off of “Shark Tank.” “Hola Colombia!” the tweet began.
Does Jay Z own Uber?
Jay-Z has $220 million in cash and investments, including a stake in Uber worth an estimated $70 million, which he originally purchased for $2 million. His streaming service Tidal – which was launched in 2015 with the help of celebrity investors, including wife Beyoncé – is estimated by Forbes to be worth $100 million.
Does Ashton Kutcher own twitter?
On March 23, 2011, Kutcher launched his own Twitter client with UberMedia called A.plus.
Who is the poorest shark?
Here we look at the recent net worth of the sharks and how they earned their fortune.Mark Cuban. Net Worth: $4.3 billion. … Kevin O’Leary. Net Worth: $400 million. … Daymond John. Net Worth: $300 million. … Robert Herjavec. Net Worth: $200 million. … Lori Greiner. Net Worth: $100 million. … Barbara Corcoran. Net Worth: $80 million.
Who turned down $30 million on Shark Tank?
Mark CubanIn January 2015, Coffee Meets Bagel was featured on Shark Tank. Mark Cuban, hypothetically, because he was already out, offered them $30 million to purchase the entire company but they declined.
How much money did Ashton Kutcher make from Uber?
Ashton Kutcher is Hollywood’s most active Silicon Valley investor. Here’s how he built a lucrative investing career, from making an early bet on Uber to turning a $30 million fund into $250 million.
How much did Ashton Kutcher invest in Wework?
Now that he’s been able to “peek under the hood,” Kutcher said he would invest now, even at a $47 billion valuation.
How much money is Mila Kunis worth?
As of January 2020, Kunis’ estimated net worth is 66 million. She gained her wealth from various TV series and movies as well as TV commercials.
Does Ashton Kutcher own Spotify?
Kutcher also invested in the music streaming service Spotify. Speaking on CNBC, Kutcher said companies like Spotify and Airbnb succeed for one reason.
What companies does Ashton Kutcher invest in?
Kutcher has been investing in technology for over a decade, both as an angel investor and a founding partner of A-Grade Investments and Sound Ventures. His fund portfolio includes Airbnb, Uber, Flexport, Brex, Robinhood, Bird, Airtable and Affirm among others.
Is Ashton Kutcher a billionaire?
Is he a billionaire? It is highly unlikely that Ashton Kutcher is a billionaire. He has, however, made a significant amount of money as a venture capitalist, investing in companies such as Airbnb and Uber. Forbes estimated the value of his portfolio somewhere in the region of $250 million.


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Apple TV Plus’s release date in India, price information and everything you need to know
Apple TV Plus is launching this year in India
Apple TV + is coming at the end of this year in India
Introducing Apple TV +, a new streaming service where the most creative minds in television and film can only tell the kinds of stories. In every style, original shows and movies, especially on the Apple TV app.
coming later this year
First of all, watch when Apple TV + premiere
Please notify me via email and push notification.
Especially on the Apple TV app.
How much will Apple TV Plus cost?
This is another secret because Tim Cook will not be able to tell you how Apple TV Plus will set you back every month.
However, the probability is very good, that there will be some expenditure on the service – because talent is not cheap at this scale.
However, a silver lining for the apple is building its content, though this service can be relatively cheap – only a few dollars/pounds per month. As we know from Netflix, licenses of syndicated licenses are not cheap, and those contracts end in the end and they should be completely renewed or dropped.
Apple TV Plus: Launch as it happened
We make the whole Apple event live, and if you are wondering how Apple has brought this new TV plus service to life, then here are the details:
[amazon_link asins=’B0711T2L8K,B07C4YKR3J,B072LPF91D,B01LXF3SP9,B07DJD1Y3Q,B07J3BDWCT,B01BEU3YNO,B06XDLJL26,B07HZ4YKWS,B071Z8M4KX’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’phul4u09-21′ marketplace=’IN’ link_id=’ac3c0a17-b661-48c4-95c5-5b064ad31463′]


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It’s hard to believe that it has officially been two years since the iPad was introduced by Apple’s late co-founder Steve Jobs. On January 27, 2010, Jobs took the stage at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, California to unveil what would quickly become the world’s best-selling tablet.
Less than a dozen weeks after its release, the iPad had already reached the hands of 3 million people. By the end of 2010, that number increased to a staggering 14.8 million. Now, combined with the release of the iPad 2, Apple’s overall tablet sales are dominant with over 55 million units sold. Groundbreaking numbers, don’t you think? If only Steve Jobs was around to see it himself.


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The Mobile World Congress – MWC Barcelona 2019 – is here. More than 100,000 mobile industry insiders, telecom specialists, professionals, analysts, reporters, and admirers of the most advanced devices have gathered to explore the wonders of the latest technology. Tech giants such as Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, and Vivo unveiled their innovations just before the show, but here we list some notable smartphones that have been presented at MWC.
LG V50 ThinQ
South Korea’s LG Electronics has unveiled its first 5G smartphone with a dual screen, the V50 ThinQ. The two screens are independant, enabling users to watch videos on one screen and browse the Internet on the other. Qualcomm’s cutting-edge Snapdragon 855 chipset together with a X50 5G modem will power the V50 model to support high-resolution games and data-rich applications without latency. The phone, with a 6.4-inch OLED full vision display, is equipped with a 4,000 mAh battery and vapor chamber technology for better heat dissipation to improve the performance of the high-function phone.
LG G8 ThinQ
The world’s seventh biggest smartphone maker has launched their 4G flagship model, the G8 ThinQ, that can be unlocked without touching the screen. The device is equipped with time-of-flight (ToF) camera and infrared sensors used for scrutinizing blood vessels in the palm to allow users to unlock their phones simply by holding a hand over a front-facing camera. The G8 ThinQ camera can scan in three dimensions, thus making the phone more secure than those with a fingerprint unlock.
Nokia 9 PureView
Nokia, another global leader in digital innovations, has introduced the world’s first smartphone with a unique photography system – the new Nokia 9 PureView. The phone is capable of simultaneously capturing pictures from five cameras and combining them into one single image. It essentially uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to select the best components of each picture and form a true-to-life image. Nokia claims that the camera’s auto-adjust exposure architecture is able to collect 10 times more light than a traditional smartphone sensor.
Apart from the five-camera setup, the Nokia 9 PureView has a 5.99-inch 1440×2880 OLED display, 6 GB RAM, 128 GB storage, a 3,320 mAh battery with wireless charging support, an in-display fingerprint scanner, and a 20 MP front-facing camera. The device runs Android 9 Pie and is part of the Android One platform.
Sony Xperia 1
The chief innovation from Japan’s tech giant Sony comes in the form of the Xperia1, which includes the latest advanced phone technology. Featuring a magnificent 21:9 CinemaWideTM 4K HDR OLED 6.5-inch display and pro-quality triple lens camera system, the Sony Xperia1 runs on the Qualcomm 855 chipset, has 6 GB of RAM and supports microSD storage expansion up to 512 GB. The company has adopted the 21:9 screen aspect ratio to indulge film viewers, since that is the format favored for most movies on Netflix and other streaming services. In addition, the Xperia1 is the first Sony smartphone with a triple camera that uses a 12 MP wide sensor, 12 MP telephoto and a 12 MP super wide sensor, enabling users to take photographs that perfectly fit the entire screen.


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Hot on the heels of the release of his 13th studio album, 4:44, rapper Jay-Z has announced plans for a North American tour, including two stops in Texas.
The tour will hit 31 cities in both the United States and Canada, starting in Anaheim, California, on October 27. Jay-Z will play Dallas' American Airlines Center on November 7 and Houston's Toyota Center on November 8.
4:44 was released to great hype, first on June 30 exclusively to Tidal and Sprint customers, then to everyone else as of July 7. The album was said to have gone platinum almost immediately, although that had more to do with the unique logistics of the initial release than actual sales.
Pre-sale ticket sales for Tidal members, VIP packages, and Citi Card members will take place July 10-13. An additional Live Nation/Ticketmaster pre-sale will take place on July 13, with tickets going on sale to the general public on July 14.


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In an interview with P.Tharyan, Editor, Motown India, at the Auto Expo 2016- The Motor Show, Rajeev Mishra, Director, India & AMEA, UM India talks about the two products n
launched in 300cc category. "One is the Renegade Commando and the other is the
Renegade Sport S. The Sport is basically meant for the youngsters who love
sporty bikes. They love power and pick up. They would probably love these bikes.
Those who love cruisers will probably go for the Commando. These two bikes have
been launched in Delhi at an ex showroom price of Rs 1.49 lakh and 1.59 lakh
respectively," he says.
Bolt, India’s largest EV charging network, announced the launch of Bolt Lite, India’s first safest, smartest and most affordable universal EV charging socket.
Renon India, one of India’s leading energy storage companies, has launched its swappable smart batteries, Groot, for electric 2-wheelers. The Li-ion battery pack for low and medium speed EVs is built ...
MG Motor India introduced ‘MG Service on Wheels’ initiative to provide customers with car repair and maintenance services from the comfort of their homes. This service outreach programme reinforces th...


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Guess this is the only time he forgot to pay attention to his hair. Earlier, a report publish in the New York Times even suggested that Trump spent USD 70,000 charge on personal hairstyling “for television” as business expense in 2016, allegedly during his The Apprentice days.
[email protected]: “Ideally we won’t go to a lockdown. I will not go – this admin will not be going to a lockdown. Hopefully… https://t.co/3uptKkdNxD
— CSPAN (@cspan) 1605304754000
Trump’s hair have made more news than anything else in these few years, in fact there came a point when people starting believing that he wore a toupee, something he totally denied and was proven wrong when popular TV host Jimmy Fallon actually dared to give his hair a nice massage to check on him.
Well, with his recent appearance proving that Trump has stopped dyeing his hair to the trademark yellow-golden hue, tweeple can’t stop joking about what has become of the business tycoon turned President. Here’s a look at some hilarious tweets on Trump’s new look!
Trump’s hair went from gold to silver because he came in second place. #TrumpLost How it started How it… https://t.co/8UhnaW4nxo
— Pedro Marques (@MetroManTO) 1605314644000
Either Trump’s hair colourist has jumped ship, or he’s trying to gradually morph into Joe Biden and hope we don’t n… https://t.co/pjEr89RPY0
— Parody Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson_MP) 1605304038000
My guess? Trump dyed his hair white because wants those “first day of presidency vs last day of presidency” photos… https://t.co/fpXreIhzjU
— Joe Penna (@MysteryGuitarM) 1605452524000
I’m not one for conspiracies, but is Trump hoping if he stops dying his hair and refuses to leave the White House,… https://t.co/B5icKuJRsA
— Luke Barnett (@LukeBarnett) 1605401757000


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Huawei is working on a new P20 and P20 Plus smartphone. Huawei is the third largest smartphone manufacturer and will release its flagship smartphone in March 27. The company will not release a its smartphone at trade shows. The announced both flagship smartphone will release at the end of March. Users have to wait move than a month for the Huawei P20 and P20 Plus. The smartphone comes with more exciting features.
From rumors and leaks, we can shape Huawei upcoming smartphone. Both flagships are featured with a large battery capacity. According to the report, Huawei P20 is featured with a 3,200mAh battery capacity while the larger smartphone P20 Plus is coming with a 4,000mAh battery storage capacity.
The last year released Huawei Mate 10 Pro featured with a maximum battery storage and prove it with its performance. Similarly, the P20 Plus with a large storage capacity is expected to be more appreciated as compare to other competitors in the smartphone world.
Huawei P20 is coming with a 3,200mAh battery that is good enough for a powerful smartphone as compare to the other smartphone available with similar specs. The battery performance of the smartphone will prove more exciting feature. Its seems the Chinese smartphone manufacturer is focusing on the long lasting batteries and want to set benchmarks in the industry. The both smartphone features with a Kirin 970 chipset.
Moreover, P20 Plus and P20 also have an Always-On Display. The Display app will be pre-installed for both flagships. Following its predecessors, the both smartphones are expecting to have an OLED display. The company could be good enough for the Always On display app for the LCD displays but with the competition Huawei is working harder. How much you are excited for the Huawei upcoming smartphones? Share your views with us by leaving comments in the comments section given below!


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Toot's, other restaurants unable to seat at 100% capacity and practice social distancing
- Dealing with social distancing rules has been frustrating for local business owners.
- Restaurants have been hit hard by pandemic.
- Toot's can only operate at 50% capacity while adhering to social distancing guidelines, owner says..
- Toot's and other restaurants also hit hard by cancelled Spring Fling high school sports tournaments.
Folks expecting Toot's and other restaurants to seat them at 100% capacity starting Friday may discover pandemic-related social distancing limits.
"The governor has come out saying restaurants can open at 100% capacity but have to remain six feet apart," said Wade Hayes, the owner of the four Toot's restaurants in Rutherford County. "That cancels out the 100 percent."
Hays said his restaurants have been adhering to Gov. Bill Lee's social distancing guidelines, which keeps his dining rooms at about 50% capacity.
The governor's spokesman Gillum Ferguson said it's ultimately up to each business owner to space tables as they see appropriate to serve customers in a safe way.
"That will look different for each business," Ferguson said. "Just because we lift the capacity restriction doesn’t mean a restaurant has to immediately go to 100%."
Costs of pandemic:Cancellation of Spring Fling, state basketball a major blow to Rutherford County economy
Hays: Pandemic is 'frustrating'
Hays said the architecture of his restaurants make it impossible to seat at 100% capacity while maintaining social distancing. He operates three in Murfreesboro and one in Smyrna.
He's also worried the general public will expect 100% occupancy.
"What I don't want is for customers to get upset because they are expecting 100% dining, and we want to adhere to the Tennessee Promise (social distancing guidelines). It’s very frustrating. It’s depressing not being able to seat the customers who want to dine with us."
Restaurants hit hard by pandemic
Toot's like other restaurants has faced significant loss of business because of the pandemic. His restaurant usually has significant sales this time of year while serving visitors here for the Spring Fling high school sports state championships. This year's Spring Fling was canceled.
"We’re way down from last year’s numbers," Hays said. "It’s very demoralizing."
Hays was among the small business owners able to obtain a stimulus-backed loan in federal funding to help Toot's maintain pay for 380 employees.
SUPPORT OUR WORK: To support award-winning journalism here in Rutherford County, sign up for a digital subscription to DNJ.com.
Reach Scott Broden at firstname.lastname@example.org or 615-278-5158, and on Twitter @ScottBroden.


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Let’s have a look at ASUS’s brand new additions to the series. These 3 new laptops are new additions to the A and K series of VivoBook Ultra lineup of laptops, bringing ultrabook-like features without the ultrabook tax that is found on many other high-end laptops. The new laptops here are the VivoBook Ultra A412, A512, and K403.
ASUS today has officially announced the new VivoBook S series. The ultra-portable laptop now comes with the innovative ScreenPad 2.0 which was first introduced last year in the ZenBook Pro 15. ASUS VivoBook S The VivoBook series has a cheerful spirit to it and that
ASUS has unveiled the next generation of ZenBook 13/14/15 with the ScreenPad 2.0 touchscreen trackpad. First seen on the ZenBook Pro 15, the ScreenPad has been improved to have more functionalities while keeping the power consumption low. ScreenPad 2.0 The new ScreenPad 2.0 hardware is
ASUS today has announced the innovative ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo that sports a secondary display above the keyboard. This is probably the lovechild between a ZenBook and the Project Precog. ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo Have you guys ever seen anything like this before? We know
What’s Next: Huawei Losing Access to Google Services (Update: Intel & Qualcomm Cutting Off Supplies to Huawei)
It was just last week when the US President, Donald Trump, announced that Huawei is now under its Entity List. Which means US companies are not allowed to do business with Huawei without the government’s approval. This morning, the world has been shocked by the
I guess when we’re adults, we understand the value of getting proper household equipment for everyday use – like a proper washing machine with all the features we need, a dryer, and perhaps a thermos. This Mother’s Day, Samsung Malaysia Electronics has something in stores just for you.
Samsung Malaysia Electronics has unveiled its largest 8K QLED TV to its 2019 TV line up. At 98″, that is officially the largest 8K TV Malaysians could get by if the 6-digit price tag is something that could deter you from. The new Samsung QLED
Taiwan Excellence Hi-Tech Week is happening this week (April 29 to May 5) at Plaza Low Yat. Transcend Information Inc will be making its presence as one of the exhibitors and showcases its award-winning products. Products that will be on display throughout the Taiwan Excellence
Batteries have a limited life cycle and it will only become worst after each full charge/discharge cycle. That means deteriorating performance, battery life and user experience. Before you start complaining about how terrible which particular phone brand for being slow or bad battery life, do
WiZ Connected, the developer of WiZ WiFi-based connected lighting ecosystem has been acquired by Signify. This acquisition further extends Signify’s leadership into WiFi Smart Lighting market. “We are very pleased to join forces with the teams of WiZ Connected who have developed a great technology


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The entire Trump family is looking at a lengthy lawsuit alleging them of engaging in years of fraud intended to rip off unsophisticated investors.
According to The New York Times, the 160-page complaint “alleges that Mr. Trump and his family received secret payments from three business entities in exchange for promoting them as legitimate opportunities, when in reality they were get-rich-quick schemes that harmed investors, many of whom were unsophisticated and struggling financially.”
he Times also reported that the complaint depicts the Trump Organization as “a racketeering enterprise that defrauded thousands of people.”
At the center of the lawsuit are three separate business entities: ACN, a telecommunications firm that gave Trump money in exchange for endorsing its products; the Trump Network, which was responsible for the ill-fated Trump Vitamins nutritional regimen; and the Trump Institute, a Trump University-like entity that the lawsuit claims offered “extravagantly priced multiday training seminars” that purportedly gave attendees access to Trump’s “secrets” to selling real estate.
But according to the two attorneys representing the lawsuit, Roberta Kaplan and Andrew Celli Jr., their case “connects the dots at the Trump Organization and involves systematic fraud that spanned more than a decade, involved multiple Trump businesses and caused tremendous harm to thousands of hardworking Americans.”
The entire report can be read HERE.


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Bigger than Black Friday and coming this weekend - Singles Day is finally here.
If you are looking for a few bargains or to get your Christmas shopping done at a discount in one go, it could be the answer.
In 2017, Black Friday itself is on Friday, November 24.
But before that, there’s a new retail extravaganza in town.
Singles’ Day originated in China.
Every year, it takes place on 11 November after it started as an obscure “anti-Valentine’s” celebration for unattached university students.
It originated back in the 1990s, according to the Mirror.
Singles celebrated their solo status by buying themselves gifts on 11 November – a date written as 11.11.
Now, it has been adopted by online retail giant Alibaba in 2009, although the company now refers to it as the “11.11 Global Shopping Festival”.
Alibaba is the Chinese equivalent of Amazon and one of the largest retailers in the world.
The 11.11 Global Shopping Festival retail frenzy is no longer limited to a single day – this year’s bonanza kicked off on October 31 with promotions and offers on more than 140,000 brands and 15 million product listings.
Nor is it solely for singles (deals in the early years were things like single travel tickets and boyfriend-replacement pillows) or limited to Alibaba (hundreds of others Chinese retailers have joined in).
The event is yet to catch on British high streets or online – and some industry experts say it’s unlikely ever to do so as it unfortunately falls on Armistice Day. However, it could be the ideal time to try and pick up a bargain from AliExpress.com or another Chinese retailer.
HotUKDeals has a thread dedicated to Singles Day deals . Current offers include a Blackview waterproof action camera for £22.57 from Geekbuying and a YI dashcam for £22.58 from JoyBuy.


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Beijing rules out strong stimulus despite trade decline
Beijing maintains emphasis on structural reforms and urbanisation to drive growth after a decline in exports and imports for March
Premier Li Keqiang has again ruled out strong stimulus to spur economic growth after the mainland posted worse-than-expected trade data, saying new momentum would be created through structural reforms.
Speaking to an international audience at the Boao Forum yesterday, Li reiterated there were "downside risks" in the economy. But he said: "We won't adopt short-term strong stimulus policies just because of temporary fluctuations in the economy. Instead, we will put more emphasis on promoting healthy development.
"The guidelines we have determined and the policy reserves we have will enable us to cope with all kinds of potential risks and challenges … We are able to and have confidence in keeping the economic operation in a reasonable range."
He reiterated remarks from last month that the central government's 7.5 per cent growth target for the economy this year would be flexible as long as enough jobs were created.
Mainland customs authorities reported yesterday that exports unexpectedly fell 6.6 per cent year on year last month, though narrowing from a sharp contraction of about 18 per cent in February. Imports declined 11.3 per cent, after rising 10.1 per cent in the previous month, partly due to falling commodities prices.
Analysts say Li's remarks indicate that Beijing is not overly worried about a slowdown, although more fine-tuning policies could be introduced in the event of a sharp slide.
"His speech was mainly aimed at bolstering confidence. Beijing may have set a bottom line for growth, which could be slightly lower than the official target," UBS Securities economist Wang Tao said. "The economic situation may not be bad enough to trigger any immediate bailout from the government."
The mainland's first-quarter gross domestic product figures will be released next Wednesday. Weak data so far has prompted the World Bank to trim its forecast for the mainland's GDP growth this year to 7.6 per cent, down from an earlier projection of 7.7 per cent.
The central government recently expanded tax cuts to more small businesses and said it planned to boost investment in railways and low-cost housing.
Similar "mini-stimulus" measures were taken last year to boost demand, helping the economy grow 7.7 per cent.
Li said new growth momentum would come from reforms as Beijing sought to ease market access and trim government intervention in the market; from urbanisation and industrial upgrading; and from job-supporting policies to improve people's livelihoods. He also pledged to build closer links between the mainland's and Hong Kong's stock markets.
Customs spokesman Zheng Yuesheng said the first-quarter trade decline was temporary and had been exacerbated by a strong comparison base last year. The mainland launched a crackdown in May last year after exporters were accused of inflating the value of exports to evade currency controls. "Exports and imports will likely resume growth from May and enter a relatively steady and moderate growth period," he said.
Australia & New Zealand Banking said trade had actually improved when the distortion from over-invoicing last year was excluded, noting that port throughput told a different story, with container exports starting to pick up from the fourth quarter of last year.
Trade with Hong Kong slumped 33.3 per cent year on year in the first quarter.


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Sensex Ends At Record High As Modi Slashes Tax, Wins Trust Vote
Find Out All That You Missed During The Day In Countdown
Sensex Ends At Record As Modi Slashes Tax, Wins Trust Vote
India's S&P BSE Sensex rose to a record closing high as investors cheered Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trust vote win and Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate cut.
The S&P BSE Sensex rose 0.61 percent or 222 points to 36,718.60 and the NSE Nifty 50 index climbed 0.68 percent or 75 points to 11,084.75.
Rally in today’s session was led by FMCG and consumer durable shares after a government panel cut GST rates on over 50 goods including refrigerators, televisions, footwear and paints etc. to 18 percent from 28 percent.
All sector gauges barring the Nifty IT index ended higher led by the Nifty FMCG index's 2.46 percent gain.
The mid- and small-cap shares outperformed their larger peers as the Nifty Midcap 100 index rose 1.1 percent and Nifty Smallcap 100 index advanced 0.7 percent.
Sensex Hits Fresh Record Led By FMCG Shares
UPL. VST Industries among Fab Four Stocks Of The Day
- UPL: The Mumbai-based fertilizer maker rose as much as 15.5 percent, the most in over four years, to Rs 635 after brokerages gave thumbs up to Arysta Deal saying it would be value accretive.
- VST Industries: The Hyderabad-based cigarette maker rose as much as 20 percent, the most in over 10 years, to Rs 2,993 after it reported June earnings. Its net profit rose 54 percent to Rs 61 crore on revenue of Rs 243 crore.
- Shalimar Paints: The Kolkata-based paint maker rose as much as 7.8 percent to Rs 125.50 after government panel cut goods and Services Tax (GST) rate on paints and varnishes to 18 percent from 28 percent.
- Bajaj Finserv: The Pune-based insurance and consumer finance company rose as much as 4.89 percent to record high of Rs 6,990 on heavy volumes. Trading volume was 3.2 times its 20-day average.
GMR Infra Rises After Multiple Bock Deals
- GMR Infra has 5.34 crore shares change hands in a four block deals. Stock up 2.5 percent at Rs 18.25.
Buyers and sellers were not immediately known


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Analog Devices announced earnings per share of $1.36 on revenue of $1.46B. Analysts polled by Investing.com anticipated EPS of $1.28 on revenue of $1.43B.
Analog Devices shares are down 0% from the beginning of the year, still down 7.47% from its 52 week high of $127.39 set on June 5. They are under-performing the Nasdaq which is up 24.95% from the start of the year.
Analog Devices shares gained 0.53% in pre-market trade following the report.
Analog Devices’s report follows an earnings beat by Apple on July 30, who reported EPS of $2.58 on revenue of $59.69B, compared to forecasts EPS of $2.05 on revenue of $52.29B.
Microsoft had beat expectations on July 22 with fourth quarter EPS of $1.46 on revenue of $38.03B, compared to forecast for EPS of $1.34 on revenue of $36.54B.
Stay up-to-date on all of the upcoming earnings reports by visiting Investing.com’s earnings calendar


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Report: Only 5 Percent Of Athletes On FIFA 16 Plus Win In Major Tournament
By Alonzo McRobotface
NEW YORK—Noting that only 5 percent of professional athletes compete in the FIFA 16 Plus Championship, a report released Tuesday by the International Olympian Board revealed that the majority of professional athletes currently in the FIFA 16 Plus Championship have won in the major tournament. “Once you break down our data, you’ll see a clear pattern. Virtually all of the top-level players in the world’s most popular video game sports video game franchise have made it to the championship stage,” said IOC president Thomas Bach, noting that in the four tournaments of professional football played in the past two weeks alone, the top-level players who have made it to the finals of the FIFA 16 Plus Championship have actually won. “Even when you exclude the top-level players in baseball, soccer, basketball, and cricket from the analysis, you can see evidence of a pattern of players making it to the championship stage at a high level, winning more championships.” At press time, the report revealed that only five professional athletes currently in the major tournament have also won the championship.


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The logos of two international jewellery organisations have been removed from the Jewelclaim website, the private business run by Diamond Dealers Club of Australia (DDCA) president, Rami Baron.
As previously reported, Baron’s Australian Jewellers Consortium, otherwise known as Jewelclaim, has operated since 1996 and, according to its website, has managed “hundreds of thousands” of jewellery claims.
Jeweller became aware that Jewelclaim – an insurance claims business – was using the imprimatur and logos of the prestigious Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) and the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB).
Along with the logos, the website made the claim: “The Australian Jewellers Consortium maintains a direct relationship with the GIA, CIBJO and the WFDB. This global pool of knowledge and experience is priceless.”
However, Jewelclaim is not a member of the GIA, CIBJO or the WFDB and questions were therefore raised concerning on what authority the business had to use the international marks and logos, particularly in order to promote its private insurance business which is based in Sydney, Australia.
GIA, CIBJO deny knowledge
The GIA’s director of corporate communications Stephen Morisseau told Jeweller that the misappropriation of the association’s logo was taken very seriously.
“We are very protective of our logo and marks. Protecting consumers is our mission, and making sure that GIA is not misrepresented in any way is an important part of that,” he said.
He added that “Retailers who carry gems with GIA reports and GIA alumni can request logos for specific purposes. We have no record of a request from Mr Baron.”
Jewelclaim and/or Australian Jewellers Consortium are not jewellery retailers.
CIBJO’s director of communications, Steven Benson explained that CIBJO is a non-profit organisation that represents all participants in the international jewellery supply chain.
“We were not aware that the CIBJO logo was being used by JewelClaim,” he told Jeweller.
“As a matter of policy [CIBJO] does not grant permission for its logo to be used to endorse any products or services that it has not developed itself,” Benson added.
The GIA and CIBJO logos were removed from the Jewelclaim website after Jeweller published the initial story on the DDCA on Sunday (15 August).
An email three days earlier on Friday 12 August, raising questions about the conditions of their use remains unanswered by the DDCA president and WFDB executive committee member, however; it appears that no change was made to the website prior to the publishing of the aforementioned story.
WFDB logo confusion
While the GIA and CIBJO logos were deleted, the WFDB logo remains on the Jewelclaim website even though the business is not a diamond bourse and not an associate member of the WDBF.
Baron represents Australia on the WFDB executive committee by way of being president of the Diamond Dealers Club of Australia (DDCA).
As previously reported, he has been president of the DDCA for 14 years of its 15-year existence, despite operating in the insurance sector.
When first contacted, Sharon Gefen, head of public relations WFDB explained that individual companies are generally not members of the WFDB as it is an organisation of bourses.
She said, “So all member bourses may use the logo. We do have a few associate members, which are companies or organisations, and they also may use the logos.”
The WFDB has 29 members (affiliated bourses) and five associate members. These include ABN Amro Bank, retailer Chow Tai Fook, Malo Amit, a logistics firm, the Israeli Diamond Institute, and the Hong Kong Indian Diamond Association.
Despite Jewelclaim not being an associate member and despite initially advising that only bourse members and associate members can use the WFDB logo, confusingly Gefen has subsequently advised that “Rami Baron is a valued member of the WFDB executive committee, and is in close contact with the organisation”.
The “close contact” makes reference to Baron’s claim that he “maintains a direct relationship with the GIA, CIBJO and the WFDB” – arguably, something that could be claimed by many people. As a result of this “close contact”, Gefen added, “We see no problem in his [Baron] mentioning that fact on the Jewelclaim website”.
She did not specifically address the use of the WFDB logo, namely, whether the WFDB was previously aware its intellectual property was being used to promote a private business and/or, if permission had been specifically granted prior to the promotional use.
It’s clear that the GIA and CIBJO were not aware that their logos were being used in a marketing sense on the Jewelclaim website, and their swift removal would suggest that Baron/Jewelclaim did not have permission or authority to use them.
Notwithstanding the apparent contradiction over the use of its logo, Jeweller has since raised further issues with the WFDB that have come to light concerning the DDCA. In turn, the WFDB has advised that its office is closed for summer holidays and it will respond in due course.
As previously reported, the WFDB’s About Us page reads: “As the industry’s most important representative body, the WFDB advances the principles of trust, transparency and integrity among the members of the bourses and throughout the industry.” [bold emphasis added]
BEFORE & AFTER
Before: Screenshot of Jewelclaim’s website 12th August.
After: Screenshot of Jewelclaim’s website 16th August.


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Meeting planners make countless decisions all day long, from venue and equipment to decorations and team-building activities. Now at the top of their list of considerations is environmental sustainability. To promote green meetings, Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, California, has come up with six tips to select green meeting venues.
Planning and executing a green meeting is becoming far more commonplace with companies looking to improve their environmental footprint and ultimately cut costs. Meetings produce an exorbitant amount of waste, whether it’s food, energy, water or even paper. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, in 2012, Americans generated about 251 million tons of trash and recycled and composted almost 87 million tons, a 34.5 percent recycling rate.
While we are making great strides in conservation, much more can be done. Meeting and event planners can really make their mark simply by asking the right questions when booking a venue. Asilomar Conference Grounds has committed to green business practices in all facets of operation. And now the Asilomar staff has come up with the following six tips to select green meeting venues:
Certified Green Business
Does the property hold an ISO 14001:2004 environmental certification? This shows a facility’s strong commitment to sustainability efforts and green practices.
What is the property doing to conserve energy? For example, at Asilomar the entire property uses CFL fixtures or is upgrading to LED lighting. They have also installed occupancy sensors around the property.
How aggressive is the property with regards to saving water? In areas such as California, it is key. Properties, like Asilomar, are busing large containers for drinking water for conference attendees rather than individual bottles. They encourage the use of reusable bottles and water fountains are filtered for refilling.
Meeting planners should inquire about a property’s means of disposal. Are there composting and recycle bins around property and in the rooms? Are the restaurants on property composting?
Green properties should be using biodegradable and nontoxic cleaning products. Cloths napkins should be used as opposed to paper. Marketing collateral that must be printed should be printed on 100 percent FSC certified and recycled paper stock along with vegetable-based inks. Asilomar follows these protocols along with many others including not accepting containers or packaging materials made from Styrofoam.
The restaurant should have a plan in place to offer sustainable meals. This means sourcing ingredients from local farmers and vendors. Is the property participating in local sustainable food initiatives like State of California’s Health Foods Initiative or Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program? Do they strive to use local and organic ingredients whenever possible?


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Google, the world’s biggest search engine, has recently established a new programme, which is designed to catch potential sponsors to charity organizations. The scheme has been planned for Irish charities, which meet Google’s necessities and have been granted tax-exempt status by the Irish Revenue Commission.
This is known as Google Grants Ireland; the beta plan supports organizations who share the search engine’s attitude towards society service, and offers support to charities, which are operating in areas such as science and technology, global public health, education, environmental, arts and as well in youth advocacy. It is an exclusive, free advertising programme and utilizes the power of the Google advertising product, Google AdWords, in order to offer advertising space to non-profit organizations who are seeking an opening to inform potential online donors.
Google grant would use their award of free advertising in order to augment awareness of their cause, plus to increase web traffic to their websites.
Google is now very excited about releasing the new beta version of Google Patent Search, this would make the search full text for U.S. patent corpus and to find patent those impresses you. You can now explore your self with www.google.com/patents.
You can by criteria, with patent number, inventor, and filing date. You could as well view images of original patents online.
Further Google says it’s a natural expansion of their mission to make public domain government information easily available to users using Google search technology. It has now been started with over 7 million patents granted by the U.S. patent and trademark office (USPTO) and also look forward to expanding our coverage over time.
Google had added charts, which show up to 40 years of historic data for U.S. stocks, and a market trends module has been highlighted to top-moving companies, featured emphatically by price, market limit, volume, and also queries. Further in as a addition, registered users could now build their own portfolios to track stocks and companies, and could even upload information from other online services.
The new homepage design, unveiled Tuesday, also provides a view to currency information and to the performance of sectors of the U.S. market. Google Finance is available at no charge and is still in beta.
This new homepage design was exposed on Tuesday, even provided a view to currency information and to the act of sectors of the U.S. market. Google finance is accessible to all at no charge and it is still in beta.
Google has recently announced the launch of its AdWords “Click-to-call” service in India. These are online ads especially designed for users to speak directly to the interested advertiser they might find on Google Search results page over the phone and it is as well free of cost. It could also be recognized by the way of green telephone handset available near the text of advertisement.
After the phone number is entered, one required to click on “Connect for Free” so that the user gets connected to advertiser. Google stated, “Click-to-call” offers good speed and convenience, and even it would protect user’s privacy by blocking the user’s telephone number from the advertiser.
Google had recently come up with a limited test for their customers who are willing to buy ads via online ad-buying system. Google is already working in US Market with more than 700 radio stations. Further Google says it has that the integration is completed and started with US beta test of Google ads with small group of Adwords advertisers.
The Adwords purchasing system offers its customers to track the amount spent on each radio ads. Google as well invite small set of advertisers to join the current test program. Company is not yet sure on the date which is set for radio advertising service to advertisers. Very soon google will expands his web search advertising across media ranging from newspaper to online.


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Just a week away from Faraday Future’s live stream reveal of its first production car from CES 2017, a top executive referred to as “acting global CEO” to the California-based electric vehicle upstart has reportedly left. The report being surfaced by The Verge says Ding Lei, a top executive and co-founder of Chinese tech giant LeEco – the company who’s led by Chinese billionaire Jia Yueting and bankrolling Faraday Future – has stepped down from his supervisory role at Faraday.
The news comes hot on the heels of recent reports that a slew of top executives have left the struggling would-be competitor to Tesla. Marco Mattiacci, chief brand and commercial officer, and Joerg Sommer, vice president for product marketing and growth, have both recently left the company. Mattiacci is the former head of Ferrari’s North American operations. His decision to join the company was greeted with much fanfare on June 9.
A LeEco spokesperson says Ding is still with the company and now holds the title of co-founder and global vice chairman at SEE Plan. But rumors are flying that he is about to join NextEV, which announced at the beginning of December that is planning to introduce an electric SUV to compete with the Tesla Model X.
NextEV co-founder Jack Cheng says the car will be “as good as or better than the Tesla [Model X] but cheaper. It will be positioned at Audi and BMW but with a Toyota price.” NextEV has produced at least one car so far, an electric sports car dubbed the NIO EP9, which currently holds the record for the fastest lap of the Nurburgring by an electric car.
Reuters reports that LeEco has secured an investment of $1.4 billion from an unnamed source rumored to be an insurance company. “They aren’t saying clearly where their money is coming from or how it will be allocated,” said Alex Ng, an analyst at China Merchants Securities. He added that the company needed to explain its expansion plans further as no major policy changes have been announced.
It was announced yesterday that LeEco began construction of a factory for electric cars in China’s Zhejiang province. The new production facility will cost $1.6 billion initially and aimed at producing 400,000 cars a year.
What any of this has to do with Faraday Future is unclear. Amid wide reports of financial troubles, it seems certain that the car it shows to the world next Tuesday will need to astound the masses if the company has any hope of survival. Otherwise, Faraday Future may be dead in the water come February.


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In December, 2013, Techcrunch published an interview with researcher Skye Grey who claimed textual analysis of published writings shows a link between Satoshi and bit-gold creator Nick Szabo. And perhaps most famously, in March 2014, Newsweek ran a cover article claiming that Satoshi is actually an individual named Satoshi Nakamoto – a 64-year-old Japanese-American engineer living in California. The list of suspects is long, and all the individuals deny being Satoshi.
The future of global payments could be in the early stages of significant change, with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies gaining in popularity and use. These charts can keep you up to date on Bitcoin prices and market activity, and can be a useful tool for timing purchases or sales. While prices could go down as well as up, the Bitcoin market has enormous potential, and prices seen in 2017 could eventually look like a genuine bargain.a
Bitcoin is a digital currency created in 2009. It follows the ideas set out in a white paper by the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto, whose true identity has yet to be verified. Bitcoin offers the promise of lower transaction fees than traditional online payment mechanisms and is operated by a decentralized authority, unlike government-issued currencies.
There are many Bitcoin supporters who believe that digital currency is the future. Those who endorse it are of the view that it facilitates a much faster, no-fee payment system for transactions across the globe. Although it is not itself any backed by any government or central bank, bitcoin can be exchanged for traditional currencies; in fact, its exchange rate against the dollar attracts potential investors and traders interested in currency plays. Indeed, one of the primary reasons for the growth of digital currencies like Bitcoin is that they can act as an alternative to national fiat money and traditional commodities like gold.
No one was more surprised than the miners themselves. By the end of 2017, even with the rapidly rising difficulty, the per-bitcoin cost for basin miners was around $2,000, producing profit margins similar to those of the early years, only on a vastly larger scale. Marc Bevand, a French-born computer scientist who briefly mined in the basin and is now a tech investor, estimates that, by December, a hypothetical investor who had built a 5-megawatt mine in the basin just four months earlier would’ve recovered the $7 million investment and would now be clearing $140,000 in profit every 24 hours. “Nowadays,” he told me back in December, miners “are literally swimming in cash.”
Zhang walks up to a door between two shelves full of mining rigs, and we step through. “This is the hot side,” he tells me. We’re standing in an empty, brightly lit space that serves as the heat dump for the facility. The exhaust fans from all the mining machines on the other side are poking out through little holes in a metal wall, blasting hot air into the space, where it gets purged to the outside by another wall full of giant metal fans.
Malachi Salcido: The Local Talent Salcido, a Wenatchee native and building contractor, studied other miners before launching his own bitcoin operation in 2014. He’s now one of the biggest miners in the basin, and has worked hard to convince the community that bitcoin and the blockchain could transform the region into a technology hub. “What you can actually do with the technology, we’re only beginning to discover,” says Salcido, pictured above in one of his mines. The basin is “building a platform that the entire world is going to use.” | Patrick Cavan Brown for Politico Magazine
Third-party internet services called online wallets offer similar functionality but may be easier to use. In this case, credentials to access funds are stored with the online wallet provider rather than on the user's hardware. As a result, the user must have complete trust in the wallet provider. A malicious provider or a breach in server security may cause entrusted bitcoins to be stolen. An example of such a security breach occurred with Mt. Gox in 2011. This has led to the often-repeated meme "Not your keys, not your bitcoin".
Controlling and monitoring your mining rig requires dedicated software. Depending on what mining rig you have, you’ll need to find the right software. Many mining pools have their own software, but some don’t. In case you’re not sure which mining software you need, you can find a list of Bitcoin mining software here. Also, if you want to compare different mining software, you can do it here.
Bitcoin's origin story sounds like something out of science fiction: It was launched in 2008 on the heels of a white paper published by the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto, whose real identity – and country of origin – are unknown. Nakamoto conceived of Bitcoin as a currency that was 1) encrypted; 2) decentralized, i.e. it was ungoverned and did not belong to any nation; and 3) a digital "distributed ledger," such that everyone can verify online the legitimacy of transactions.
A backdoor like Antbleed, if utilized, would give an ASIC manufacturer the power to effectively silence miners who support a version of the Bitcoin protocol that it doesn’t agree with. For instance, Bitmain could have flipped a switch and shut down the entire facility in Ordos if the company found itself in disagreement with the other shareholders.
The EU and May are lying. We could very easily have Canada +++ without Northern Ireland being in any Customs Union handcuffs. The trade between NI and RoI is very small (2016: NI to RoI £4bn, RoI to NI £1.5bn). This could easily be managed with e.g. pre-border checks, trusted trader / exporter licences, existing Customs / police intelligence against smuggling and crime. It's all just a big excuse to stop us being free to trade with the world, compete with the EU on taxing and pricing etc, and make the best of Leaving. They had better come back with UK +++ very soon, or it's No deal / WTO. Lying traitor May must GO.
In front of me are nine warehouses with bright blue roofs, each emblazoned with the logo for Bitmain, a Chinese firm headquartered in Beijing that is arguably the most important company in the Bitcoin industry. Bitmain sells Bitcoin mining rigs—the specialized computers that keep the cryptocurrency running and that produce, or “mine,” new bitcoins for their owners. It also uses its own rigs to stock facilities that it owns or co-owns and operates. Bitmain owns about 20 percent of this one.
The Bank for International Settlements summarized several criticisms of bitcoin in Chapter V of their 2018 annual report. The criticisms include the lack of stability in bitcoin's price, the high energy consumption, high and variable transactions costs, the poor security and fraud at cryptocurrency exchanges, vulnerability to debasement (from forking), and the influence of miners.
Just because miners want power doesn’t mean they get it. Some inquiries are withdrawn. And all three county public utilities have considerable discretion when it comes to granting power requests. But by law, they must consider any legitimate request for power, which has meant doing costly studies and holding hearings—sparking a prolonged, public debate over this new industry’s impact on the basin’s power economy. There are concerns about the huge costs of new substations, transmission wires and other infrastructure necessary to accommodate these massive loads. In Douglas County, where the bulk of the new mining projects are going in, a brand new 84-megawatt substation that should have been adequate for the next 30 to 50 years of normal population growth was fully subscribed in less than a year.
The domain name "bitcoin.org" was registered on 18 August 2008. In November 2008, a link to a paper authored by Satoshi Nakamoto titled Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System was posted to a cryptography mailing list. Nakamoto implemented the bitcoin software as open source code and released it in January 2009. Nakamoto's identity remains unknown.